President Bola Tinubu has extolled the Aig-Imoukhede Foundation for instituting a N41 million endowment to reward deserving civil servants yearly.

The move, according to the President, would drive public sector transformation for improved public service delivery in the country.

Tinubu stated this at the 2023 civil service week gala night, in Abuja, yesterday. He pledged that his administration would ensure that the welfare of civil servants is prioritised.

He said: “As you must have noticed, the private sector is becoming more interested and committed to the value proposition of civil servants. Their support is commendable. I am informed particularly of the support of the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation. It is on record that the Foundation has instituted an endowment with N41 million to reward deserving civil servants yearly. The onus is now on the body of civil servants to collectively show greater dedication to its ideals.”

The President, therefore, appreciated the Federal Civil Service as the custodian of public trust, promising to empower it to consolidate on the gains of the on-going reforms. He said this would complement other smart and radical policies and administrative measures to make the civil service more virile, competent, accountable and citizen-centred in the delivery of public services.

“It is fitting that the awardees today be adequately celebrated with fanfare. Award and recognition are instituted to motivate personnel to stimulate healthy competition among them for the delivery of high-quality services. The officers, who have been adjudged worthy of recognition and awards today are exemplars of the right values being promoted by the ongoing reforms in the service,” he added.

“This initiative must be sustained. Let me therefore specially commend each and every one of the awardees for their dedication to service. The recognition given here today though a reward; is also a call to greater service. Be reassured that the country of your dream is possible,” he averred.

He noted his administration counts on the Public Service and the Federal Civil Service in particular, to deliver on their promise of a renewed hope even as the federal government would be unfolding very explicit cues for action in no distant time.

Speaking on the adopted Nigerian theme to mark the 2023 Public service day celebrated every 23rd of every year, “Digitalization of Work Processes in the Public Service: A Gateway to Efficient Resource Utilization and National Development”, he said it is apt and appropriate for commemoration.

He added the challenges faced today as a nation leaves no option to continue on the analogue front, maintaining that the tasks ahead are daunting, but stated that the prospects for success are promising.

“Digitalization is a compelling choice. We must take it! Now, let me make it clear, the expectations of this administration, for the Civil Service, are high. This is so because the Civil Service is the fulcrum for governance. Our vision and mission are predicated on the instrumentation of policies and programmes aimed at spurring the national economy from multi-dimensional fronts,” he added.

Tinubu said many tough but needful policy and paradigm shifts will be emplaced to reposition governance for efficiency, effectiveness and productivity, saying that to match the expectations of the present administration, the civil service must increase its reform pace.

“The laudable targets set under the six pillars of the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan 2021-2025 (FCSSIP25) are in focus and must be attained. We are at a critical phase of our existence as a nation and we must take full control of our destiny. Evidently, we are confronted by a myriad of monumental challenges which we ought to have conclusively and decisively addressed over the years. Our inability to put in place the enabling building blocks for the actualization of the vision of our founding fathers, has stalled the vision of a great Nigeria, the giant of Africa,” he bemoaned.

He, however, assured that his government is steadfast in its unwavering faith that it shall renew hope and make Nigeria great and prosperous again with the support, patience, resilience and sacrifice of the citizenry, pointing out that the first two policies announced, during his inauguration namely, the removal of fuel subsidy and the new forex regime are already yielding desired positive results.